Monday, October 24, 2011

The Republican Economy

A great piece by Leo W. Gerard about how the Republicans see our economy and why they do the things that they do. To be clear, I know that not every Republican believes in these things, and most have common sense enough to be wary of some the things that the leadership is proposing. But therein lies the problem: the leadership has gotten it into their heads that these reforms are a good thing, that deregulation and dismantling of our protections for consumers is inherently beneficial to the country. Instead of bringing us forward, they want to take us back.

Less to the point, but still relevent, is another piece by Paul Stoller, in which the point is that the GOP is seeking to take America back to the "Gilded Age" of Social Darwinism. What these two pieces tie together very well is an explanation for the mindset of the Conservative. The conservative doesn't want regulations that will allow the socially unsuccessful to survive and compete with the elite. So, they trample them. They don't want the poor to have the opportunity to advance, preferring them to be relegated to a kind of permanent serf status, and so they target the programs and spending and rules that help and protect the poor.

It's worth a note here to say that I'm sure Republicans don't see it that. Even leaders of the GOP must believe that the policies they project are for the betterment of America. I honestly believe that a small group, such as Cantor, Ryan, Boehner, and McConnell, are the orchestrators of these policies, and know full well the intent behind them. Their financiers in the private sector know full well what kind of society is being created here. The amazing thing is that they have now started convincing those they desire to disenfranchise that it is socially just for this to happen.

Look at the Tea Party. Look at how the GOP leadership praises them, how the Koch Brothers fund them, and what kind of policies they support. They are acting against their own best interests. Either they do no realize this, or they have been taught to believe that it is morally right for them to be given nothing and to be oppressed by the social elites. I don't understand why a group of people would do this, unless they are socially self-injurious, or believe that they are the exception to the rules they are demanding.

These ideas, of course, stem from a desire to prop up the wealthy and allow them ultimate control over the country, as they had in the early 1900's. The goal is to disintegrate the social safety net, cut out the welfare class, and let everyone fend for themselves. When things like that happen, things like the recession and jobs losses will be seen as good things, since it secures more wealth for the wealthy and more power for the powerful. In short, the adoption of social darwinism and the policies being put forth by the GOP will lead us into the America of old: the America of oppression, greed, minority rule, and the unwashed and mindless masses.

About Me

I'm a political junkie, reading addict, poet, Liberal. I'm pro-choice, pro-freedom, optimistic, and try to be fair. I've been blogging for a few years now, and I follow a number of news sites. My posts are sometimes sporadic, but I try to check them on a regular basis.